Ironing press



W. M. EMERY IRONING PRESS July 17, 1934.

Filed Oct. 23, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l July E?, H934. w. M. EMERY v 1,967,081

IRONING PRESS Filed Oct. 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Shea?I 2 IN VEN TOR.

QAM

W. M.EMERY IRONING PRESS .Fuy I7, 1934..

Filed Oct. 23. 1931- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Patented July 17, 1934 y UNITED STATES IRONING PRESS William M. Emery, Lansdowne, Pa..

Application Dctober 23,

28 Claims.

eration. Thirdly, to provide an electrically operated machine which performs all the movements of the elements under power, yet with safety becauseof novel safety devices.

Another object is to produce a manually operated machine which will move and press the elements together through the operation of a single lever. y

An additional object is to secure a movement of the elements together through a swinging action from a point located materially lower than the contacting surfaces, said movement to consist of a rapid arc-like movement until the shoe is above'the buck and nally a substantially rectilinear pressure movement of the elements together.

.A further object to produce a press in which the upper element is so supported that the rear and sides of the lower element are unobstructed for the free passage of fabrics in either direction at all times and lastly,v to produce a garment press capable of steaming garments of more simple construction.

The following is a description of the mechanisni whereby these objects are obtained. The

structure recited is subject to numerous variations without deviating from the basic principle of the invention only a few modications oi which are shown.

Figure i is a side elevation from the right end of -a power driven unit, the pressing elements being separated. y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a manually operated press, with the right head support removed and the base shown in section. The pressing elements are in engagement.

Fig. 3 is afront elevation `of the head supporting mechanism drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 4 is a front View of a power press shown with the pressing elements together.

' Fig. 5 is a view of the gear box for the power unit. it is shown sectionally being cut horiaontaily through the drive shaft, except that the clutch parts are not shown in section but in elevation. This view is somewhat grammatical.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the clutch mechanism and the control. The control and the gear housing only are shown sectionally.

Fig. 'i is a top plan viewl of the clutch mechanism of Fig. 5.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a variation of the move- 1931, Serial N0. 57!,518

ment substituting a link for the camv action of Figures 1 and 2. Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 2 and Fig. 9 similar to Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the head (heating element not shown) together with a water reservoir and steam device.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of one of the manual levers showing a spring to distribute the forces more evenly.

Fig. 12 is an end view of a modified press; the head support is sectioned intermediate of the ends of the elements and the base is sectioned near the near end of the elements. p

Similar parts are indicated by using the same numbers and the alternate position of the movable parts are indicated in some cases by showing them in dotted lines. In Fig. 1, I show an electrically operated press for fabrics including a base 7, a support 3 attached thereto, and a pressing buck 2 adjustably and resiliently attached to support 3 by springs 5 andscrews 6. The term buck as used herein refers exclusively to a padded non-revolvable pressing member coacting with another pressing member.

One` end of eccentric arm is pivotally` mounted in support 3 by shaft 26 and on the other end of the eccentric arm 25 is mounted a cam roller 24 which operates in a set of guide tracks in arm 23 which is xed on shaft l0 which turns in and is supported by tube 13, strapped xedly to the rear edge of base 7 by straps 14, Fig.'4.

-Ailixed to each end of shaft 10 are eccentric arms 9. The arms 9 through pivotal connections 32 support and actuate support arms i8. The

.connections at 32 between arms 9 and support arms 18 thus form swinging and supporting pivots for support arms 18 and in order to determine the movement and position of support arms 18 as the position of said swinging pivots 32 changes, cams are formed in the channel of each support arm 18 and in these cams operate rollers 11 which are held at all times fixed as to position by arms 12- ixedly attached to each end of tube 13.

Support arms 18 are pivotally attached at 44 to oiset straps 43 which are attached to each end of the upper pressing element l. This element, consisting oi a heavy metal plate adapted to be heated, is herein called the head .or shoe. The support arms 18 with straps 43 are fastened to the rear corners of shoe 1 and are disposed diagonally from the rear of the buck 2 and also diagonally from the sides of the buck; that is at no time are arms 18 directly in back of the buck or directly sidewise of it. This is a valuable feature since it leaves the buck unobstructed for ironing long lengths of materials in either direction.

To make the pivots at 44 normally rigid, knuckle joints are formed between the two straps 43 and the two support arms 18 at each end of the ironer. One section 15 of the knuckles is pivotally attached at 16 to an extension of strap 43 and the other section 17 is pivotally connected at 19 to support arm 18 and the knuckle sections 15 and 17 are pivotally joined together at 20. As an integral part of knuckle sections 17 is a guard arm or yoke 21 with handle 22 which extends around the shoe protecting the hot edges thereof. It also extends below the shoe so that in the closing movement of the head, although traveling with the head, it precedes the head.

The parts just described forrn a means of manual release in case the power should fail when the elements were closed. They form a safety feature. If the shoe should descend inopportunely the natural movement would be to resist it. The operators hand would contact with handle 22 of guard 2l and without interrupting the operation of the motor or the arm`18, the shoe 1 would be held away from the buck. Handle 22 may also be used to operate the ironer manually.

As shown in Fig. l the arm 25 is xed to shaft 26 which is rotatably mounted and extends from gear box 4. This gear box design is unique only in respect to the clutch.

Motor (see Fig. 4) rotates rotor shaft 51 in Fig. 5 which meshes with spur gear 52 integral with pinion gear 53 on stub shaft 54. Pinion 53 revolves spur gear 55 integral with pinion 57 on stub shaft 56 and pinion 57 revolves gear 58 which is rotatably mounted on shaft 26. Gear 55, pinion 57 and shaft 56 are shown in Fig. 5 in a plane lower than shafts 5l, 54 or 26. Integral with gear 58 are teeth 59 said teeth projecting laterally therefrom. A pawl with arms 61 and 62 integral therewith is normally held in engagement with teeth 59 by a iight spring 63 irrespective of gravity. Pawl 60 is pivotally mounted at 64 in arm 65. Arm is pinned to shaft 26, so that when the motor is revolving and pawl 60 is engaged with teeth 59, gear 58 drives shaft 26, and pawl 60, spring 63 and arm 65 revolve with said gear. A plate 77 is xed to shaft 71 to which certain control parts are attached as hereinafter described. Plate 77 has formed in it two stop lugs or obstacles 66 and 67. Obstacle 67 is longer than 66 and is set (see Fig. 7) to engage arms 61 and 62 when obstacle 66 is Withdrawn by a turning movement of shaft 71. When arm 61 meets stop lug` 66 pawl 60 is withdrawn from teeth 59, gear 58 and teeth 59 continuing to revolve, but pawl 60 with arms 61 and 62 and arm 65 and shaft 26 remain stationary. When lug 66 is Withdrawn by the turning of shaft 71, arm 61 slips past it and pawl 60 is thrown into engagement with teeth 59 by spring 63. Spring 68 returns the lug 66 to its original position to be in readiness to engage arm 62. The same disengagement of pawl 60 and teeth 59 takes place when afm; 62 is obstructed as took place when 61 was obstructed. When arm 61 is obstructed by lug 66 the head and the buck are in engagement and when arm 62 is obstructed by lug 66 the shoe and the buck are in their position of separation.

Safety features are most important with a press of this type, accordingly an obstacle is designed to be in a position to meet either arm 61 or 62 at all times thus preventing the head from engaging the .buck except at the will of the operator. Handle 70 is loosely mounted on shaft 7l, spring 72 tending to throw the handle to the right as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5. Arm 70 has a rounded plunger 73, a spring 74 acting thereon, held under tension by threaded cap 75, said plunger engaging a socket in arm 76 which is pinned on shaft 71. Shaft 71 is attached to the obstacle plate 77 which ysupports obstacle 66 and also the obstacle 67 which is in a position to obstruct or stop arm 61 or 62 whenever obstacle 66 is in a position to permit them to pass it.

In operation the control handle 70 is moved to the left, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, by the operator, thereby withdrawing obstacle 66 permitting arm 61 or 62 to pass, allowing the engagement of pawl 60 with teeth 59. The operator continues to move handle 70 until plate 77 can turn no more and plunger 72 disengages arm 76 which moves back, to normal position together with obstacle plate 77 under action of spring 68. The operator then lets go the handle which moves back to its original position. If when arm 6l and stop lug 66 are engaged, at which time shoe 1 and the buck 2 are together, the operator should move lever 70'only far enough to release 61 but not far enough to cause a disengagement of the rounded plunger 73 with arm 76, then emergency obstacle 67 would catch arm 61 and prevent the unexpected dropping of the head 1. The exact positioning and timing of the parts is not attempted in the drawings.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modification of Fig. 1 adapted for manual operation exclusively. Guard and manual release means 22, 21, 17 and l5 is omitted and strap 43 and support 18 are combined into support arm 8. Whereas the eccentric arm 25 in Fig. 1 makes complete, tho interrupted, revolutions, in the modied form of Fig. 2 this arm 25 has a back and forth reciprocating motion only. Eccentric arm 25 in Fig. 2 is operated by a connectingV link 27, lever 28 and manual lever 29. Manual lever 29 is slidably connected to lever 28 so that it may be telescoped into the machine out of the way. By the combination of these levers there is provided practically a double dead center acting on arm 23. That is when the head .and buck are in engagement, arm 25 is at right angles to arm 23 forming the rst dead center and 28 and 27 are approaching alignment forming a second dead center which may be emphasized by in-l creasing the length of the connecting link 27 a trie.

In the operation of the device starting with the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and approaching the position shown in dotted lines, the operator lifts lever 29 which pushes back on connecting link 27 and radius arm 25. Roller 24 is pushed back in the groove or cam track in arm 23. Thus arm 23 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 turning shaft 10 and eccentric arms 9 which raise swinging pivots 32 which actuate support arms 8. The course of the movement of support arms 8 has been determined by shaping of the cam integral therewith and rollers l1 so that the support arms first move substantially vertically until sufficient clearance has been secured between the shoe and buck to insure not mussing the clothes being pressed. Then the cam is shaped to permit the support arms to swing back rapidly from the buck separating Athe elements completely.

This speed of the backward swing is secured in part by the back movement of roller 24 into the crotch of the guide tracks shortening the workable center distance of lever arm 23 without changing the center distance of eccentric arm 25 so that when arms 25 and 23 are in alignment the movement is very rapid. This is essential in a press where it i", necessary to use little of the stroke in the extended movement of the pressing element, so as to conserve as much as possible of the stroke for the securing of 'unal pressure. An advantage in using a structure such as roller 24, operating in guide or cam tracks, in a radius arm 29 to edect pressure between the elements as compared for instance with the toggles which are so frequently used in the art lies in the possibility of slightly varying the shape of these tracks to eiiect whatever mechanical advantage may be best suited to any individual portion or section of the cycle of movement of the press, whereas in the toggle the variation in the mechanical advantage provided must follow a uniform progression; This is, of course, simply the obvious advantage of the cam as compared to lever arms with hired centers.

The mass of head 1 plays an important part in this movement. In the position shown in Fig. 2 the entire mass is pressing down under gravity against the buck 2. It is not in any way counterbalanced. As the head 1 is raised the eort to raise it stores potential energy in the mass to assist in the downward movement later and until the center of gravity of the moving parts passes above the swinging pivot 32, this stored energy will tend to move the head to the buck, but when said center of gravity has passed above the swinging pivot 32 then this energy is over 1balanced and the hea-d will remain at rest in aposition uncovering the buck. What I mean by uncovering the buck" in this application is that the head may be separated a sufficient distance from the buck as to make normally visible and accessible to the operator the entire ironing surface ofthe buck and to permit the operator to lay the fabric to be pressed upon the buck withV i a single directional movement without the necessity of dragging the fabric over the surface of the buclr.

By means of the mass of the head and its operative connections, the eiort required to apply the nal pressure is distributed between the up and down strokes of handle 29.

lin Fig. il is seen a torsional spring 31 anchored at one end to base 7 and at the other end to arm 28. This spring is designed to do much the same thing as describedlas the function of the uncounterbalanced mass of the head. When the parts are in the position shown in the full lines of Fig. 2 spring 31 exerts a considerable pull on connecting arm 2'7 because of the approaching dead center conditions of arms 28 and 27; as the head and buck are separated by raising manual lever 29, this pull decreases until the position of the parts shown in dotted lines is attained at which time this pull is balanced because arms 25 and 27 are in practical alignment and the pull is absorbed by pivot 26. Thus it will be seen that the function of spring 31 is to ease the down stroke of handle 29 and increase the effort required to raise it.

Spring 31 is designed with a length sufiicient to cause practically a constant torsional strain irrespective of the pivotal movement of arm 28. Accordingly spring 3l in combination with the dead center conditions described makes an ideal means of distributing the effort required to apply pressure by the shoe against the buck between the upward and downward movement of manual lever 29.

Figures 8 and 9 show av slight variation in the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 1 respectively. In place of a roller ll operating in a cam track formed in the channel of support 8 there is substituted a short connecting link pivotally mounted at 81 tog and 82 to 12. While this does not give the head a very long rectilinear or perpendicular movement to the buck it is a. cheaper construction and gives a movement of the head in some respects similar to the cam of Figs. 1 and 2, which in some cases would be' satisfactory. I

In Fig. 10 is shown in detail the means to permit pressing woolen tailored garments. 1 represents.

the heated shoe (method of heating is not shown but is preferably electric) having molded into it interconnected chambers or tubes connected to theface of the shoe by small drilled holes 91.

On top of the head there is attached a water reservoir 92 having a valve in the bottom 93 and a control handle 94 therefor. A frame passes around the head l carrying a piece of stretched fabric 96. The fabric is suciently resilient or resiliently mounted to permit full pressure to be applied between the elements stretching the fab. ric 96 into contact with the surface of the head l. When it is desired to steam 'the garment the pressure is released between the elements and the top element is lifted a trifle, fabric 96 still contacting with the work on the buck but 'no longer contacting with the surface of the head l; A small quantity of water immediately forms steam which passes out of the head through openings 91 and through the fabric 96 to the garments being. ironed.

The description of the operation of the manually operated machine applies so obviously to the `v operation of the power-operated machine that it is unnecessary to repeat it. The applicant intendsfto utilize all the eort distributing means as described in the manual machine to distribute the load as evenly as possible through the cycle of operation of the power operated machine.

In Figure 12 is shown a manually operated press in which many of the principles already described are employed. To simplify the description similar parts to the ones already described are given the same numerical designation with the addition of prime Base 'i' in Figure l2 represents a table top supported by legs (not shown) functioning as a base to which is attached support 3 and buck 2. Arm 25 pivots in support 3' on shaft 26' moving cam roller 24' in the curved cam guides of lever arm 23 xed to shaft 10. Shaft 10' is a pivot and has attached to each end an eccentric arm 9' possessing a pivot 32 which actuates and supports, supporting arms 8' which are attached to the head.

Arm 25' is operable by means of lever 84 integral therewith or by means of a segment gear 86 attached to shaft 26' which meshes'with another segment gear 87 which is pivotally mounted and operable by lever 8,5. By virtue of this con struction lever handle 85 is up when 84 is down or vice versa. This construction facilitates the operation of the machine because it Ais frequently easierA in a sitting posture to depress a lever of this kind than to raise it unless in the latter movement the back muscles are employed.

By mounting the roller 99 in the support arm 8' for operation with a cam track in plate 83 fixed to the base 'A1' it is possible to obtain acam track of a very practical shape.

The center of gravity of head 1' and supports 8' is the applicant assumes for the purpose of ex' position at a point indicated by an X marked C. G. The cam in plate 83 is so shaped that starting with the position shown in full lines the center of gravity moves substantially horizontally. The

path of the parts in this phase of the movement is indicated by 98 and is governed by section 98 of the cam in plate 83. By virtue of section 97 of the cam the path of the parts here changes to a short curve and at the section 88 and 89 of the cam the movement of the shoe is directed to the buck. If curve 89 is followed then the path of the parts and the center of gravity will be as ndicated by 89', but the face of the head will be parallel to the buck during this phase of the movement. If roller 99 follows the straight course 88 of the cam, then there will be no front and back movement of the head as it approaches the buck and the movement will be rectilinear although the faces of the shoe and buck will not always be parallel.

If there is considerable thickness to the garments being pressed then course 88' will be followed and if the materials are thin then the head will naturally follow course 89.

The curve of the course 89 is dependent upon the ratio of the length of the vertical lift to the center distance between pivot 24 and shaft 10. If the center distances were doubled or trebled this curve would become practically rectilinear.

In Figure 12 it will be noted that pivot 24' when the head and buck are together is directly below the center of gravity of shoe 1 and its supporting arms 8. This makes possible a curve of shorter radius as indicated by 97.

Because of the weight of the head and the speed desired for the movement 98 it is advantageous that the path of the center of gravity should be substantially horizontal.

It should be observed that by means of the structure common to Figures 1, 2 and 12 i. e. a shoe with a support is supported by and actuated by and pivoted in a radius arm mounted in a fixed pivot; and by means of a cam related to the head support it is possible to secure almost any desired course of travel for the head towards or away from the buck, with the pivot point underneath the buck resulting in a compact machine.

I claim:

1. An ironing machine including two ironing elements at least one of which is movable relatively to the other, a motor operably connected to cause such movement, a clutch for said motor including a normally rotating part and a second part rotatable only when the clutch is engaged, a pawl mounted on said second part, means to cause the normal engagement of the pawl with the normally rotating part, obstacle means to cause the automatic disengagement of the pawl in predetermined positions, additional obstacle means arranged to move into an obstructing position when the rst obstruction is Withdrawn to a non-obstructing position, said second obstructing means being positioned to interrupt the pawl subsequently should said second obstructing means not be withdrawn before that time, a control means to withdraw temporarilyfthe obstacle means including one member disengageablefrom another member after the obstacle means has been withdrawn from its obstructing position permitting the quick independent return of the obstacle to its normal position.

2. An ironing machine including two ironing elements at least one of which is movable to the other; motor means operably connected to cause such movement, a clutch for said motor including a normally rotating part and a second part rotatable when the clutch-is engaged, a pawl mounted on said second part, means to cause the normal engagement of the pawl with the normally rotating part, obstacle means to cause the automatic disengagement of the pawl in predetermined positions, means for temporarily withdrawing said obstacle means and means to return the obstacle means to its normal position, additional obstacle means arranged to move into an obstructing position when the rst obstruction is withdrawn to a non-obstructing position, said second obstructing means being positioned to contact with thepawl a short time after the release of the pawl from the first obstructing means.

3. In a pressing machine for fabrics, two pressing elements positioned one above the other, two supports for the top element, extending upwardly from points substantially beneath the ends of the lower element, positioned and spaced, as they pass through the contactual plane of the elements, diagonally outwardly from the back corners of the bottom element leaving the space at the ends and immediately behind the elements always unobstructed for an overhang of the fabrics at the back or a longitudinal extension of fabric at the ends of the lower element.

4. In a pressing machine for fabrics, a buck and a pressing head, two support arms attached to the ends, of the pressing head and supporting said head from points beneath said buck and providing an unobstructed space, between the support arms and behind and below the buck for the rearward extension of fabrics between the support arms without likelihood of contact with them.

5. In a pressing machine for fabrics, a pressing head and a buck, supports attachedto the ends of the -head and extending downwardly to points of support beneath the buck and positioned and spaced outwardly from not more than two corners of the buck as they pass through the contactual plane of thev .elements thereby providing an unobstructed space between the support arms at the back of the machine for the extension and storage of fabrics between the arms without likelihood of contact with them and also to provide for unobstructed space at the ends of the buck at all times.

6. A pressing machine for fabrics, including a platen head and a buck constituting pressing elements, one of which is mounted for movement towards the other, means to swing the movable element from an extended position to a' position near to the other and also eifectuate pressure between the pressing elements, said means including a supporting arm attached to the movable element and a radius'arm supporting and pivotally connected to said supporting arm and a cam associated with the supporting arm to determine together with the radius arm the path of the movement of the supporting arm and the movable element, mechanical means to store energy and means to apply the force due to said stored energy to produce pressure between the elements in excess of the weight of the movable parts.

7. A pressing machine for fabrics, including a platen head and a buck constituting pressing elements one of which is mounted for movement towards the other, means to swing the movable element from an extended position of separation to a position near to the other, mechanical means to store energy and means to apply force due to said energy to tend to move said elements from a position of separation to a position of `toaction and to produce pressure between the elements in excess of the weight of the movable parts, said first mentioned means including a support arm attached to said movable element, a radius arm pivotally connected to said support arm, and a guide track associated with the support arm to determine together with the radius arm the path of the movement of the support arm and the movable element.

8. In a pressing machine operated entirely by manual power, a buck and a head constituting cooperating elements and placed one above the other and mounted for movement one towards and away from the other, a manual means'operative 'to eectuate the entire movement of one element to the. otherand also the pressure between the elements in excess of the weight of the mass of the parts and also the separation of said elements, spring means operative to move the movable element to a position pressing against the other element and radius arm means operatively associated with said spring means to transmit the forces due to the energy stored in said spring means and so positioned when the elements are separated as to render said spring means ineffective to initiate a movement of one element towards the other.

9. A pressing machine for fabrics including a head and a buck constituting pressing elements mounted for movement one towards and away from the other, means to swing one element from an extended position of separation to a position near to the other and also to eiectuate pressure through the application of force due to stored energy in addition to such forces" as are due to the force incident to the weight of the mass of the movable parts, said means including a support arm attached to said movable element, a radius, arm pivotally connected to said support arm and a guide track associated with the support arm to determine together with the radius arm the path of the movement of the support arm and the movable element, and a manually mtuated operating lever, movement of which in one direction separates the element and stores the previously mentioned energy, andthe movement of which in the other direction eectuates the pressure between the elements as the force due to the stored energy is expended. l

lo. A pressing machine for fabrics, including a platen head and a buck constituting pressing elements, one of which is mounted for movement towards the other, means to swing the movable element from an extended position ofseparation to a position near to the other, mechanical means to store energy, means to apply force due to said stored energy to tend to move one of said elements from a widely separated position to a position near to the other and top'roduce pressure between the elements in excess of the weight of the moving parts, said pressure'being produced in an increasing amount as said movement progresses until the nal pressure is accomplished when the said force from said stored energy, due to the mechanical advantage of the mechanism, is :im times greater than at the initiation of the movement, said mechanical means being effective to store energy only while the elements are resuming their position of separation.

l1. In a press, a buck and a head constituting pressing elements, means to mount one of said elements for movement towards and away from the other, means to effectuate said movement and also to store energy in a spring while the elements are being separated and to utilize forces due to said stored energy to force the elements together, said means including said spring and two radius arms connected by a link said four parts being operably connected in series with the rst mentioned means and so disposed and proportioned relative to each other that when the elements are being forced together the radius arm closest the spring in mechanical association tends to approach a straight angle with the link and the other radius arm tends to form more of a right angle with the link, thus effecting a substantial mechanical advantage for the application of pressure between the elements and when the elements are separated the radius arm nearest the spring tends to form more of a right anglev with the link and the other radius arm tends to take more of a straight line position with the link, the radius arm further away in its mechanical association from said spring being more close in its operable connection to the first mentioned means.

12. In a press for fabrics, a substantially stationary buck, 'and a pressing head positioned above the buck, means mounting the head for a compound swinging movement transversely across and above the buck and thereafterwards downwardly against the buck eiecting pressure between the head and the buck and spring means sufficiently powerful and operably associated with said mounting means to, at least in a substantial part, effectuate said entire movement under force due to energy stored in said spring.

13. In a pressing machine for fabrics, including two cooperable pressing elements, one of which is mounted for a compound movement including a lifting movement separating the elements and a swingingmovement conveying said element transversely across and away from the other element, a support for the said movable element, a radius arm supporting and pivotally connected with said support located materially below the line of contact between the elements, a supplemental means to guide and determine the movement of the support in addition to the radius arm, and means toeect all of said compound movement under forces transmitted at varying mechanical advantages by a cam pivotally mounted for movement with the said radius arm and a roller mounted in a second radius arm for cooperation with said cam.

14. A pressing machine for fabrics, including a platen head and a buck constituting pressing elements one of which is mounted for movement towards the other, means to swing the movable element from its fully extended position of separation to a position near to the other, and also effectuate pressure between the elements, said means including a support arm attached to said movable element and a radius arm supporting and pivotally connected to said support and a guide track associated with the support arm to determine together with the said radius arm the path of the movement of the support arm and the movable element, a pivotally mounted 'cam connected for movement with the radius arm, a second radius arm having a roller cooperable with the cam to produce a rapid turning of the rst mentioned radius arm when the elements are widely separated and a comparatively slow turning of the first mentioned radius arm when the elements are near to each other and means to swing the second radius arm.

15. In a press utilizing a buck and a head as pressing elements, means to contact the elements and to separate them, a spring under stress, a

radius arm, a roller member on said radius arm operably connected to said spring to eifect rotation of the radius arm and a pivotally mounted cam member cooperating with the roller member and connected for movement with the said previously mentioned means, and means to operate the radius arm said members being so designed and constructed as to transmit the force due to said spring with a much greater mechanical advantage when the elements are in contact to force the elements together, than at such times as the elements are separated.

16. A pressing machine for fabrics including a buck and a head constituting pressing elements, means to mount one of said elements for a compound movement towards and away from the other including a short movement applying and relieving pressure between the elements and a longer movement in a direction at an angle to the short movement, manually operated means including a lever, the turning movement of which in one direction effectuates the entire compound movement of one elementl towards the other and also effects the application of pressure between elements, and the turning movementof which in the opposite direction eiTects the return` of said element to its original position and means for distributing the eifort required to produce said rst compound movement and the application of pressure between the two named movements of the lever.

17. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means for pivotally moving said pressing head toward and away from the buck, and means responsive to the movement of the head away from the buck for storing energy effective during the major portion of the return movement and before the contacting of the head and the buck for energizing said return movement and for forcing the head and the buck together under pressure in excess of the weight of the moving parts.

18. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means pivotally moving said pressing head toward and away from the buck, and spring means responsive to the movement of the head away from the buck for storing energy and effective, during the major portion of the return movement and before the contacting of the elements, for energizing said return movement.

19. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head pivotally mounted for bodily movement toward and away from the buck and means motivated by the movement of the head away from the buck for storing energy and effective during the greater portion of the return movement of the head for assisting the latter movement and for forcing the head and the buck together under pressure in excess of the weight of the moving parts.

20. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head pivotally mounted for bodily movement toward and away from the buck and spring means motivated by the movement of the head away from the buck for storing energy and effective during the greater portion of the return movement of the head for assisting the latter movement.

21. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means bodily moving said pressing head to uncover the buck and to return the head to pressing engagement with the buck and resilient means responsive to the movement away from the buck for storing energy and effective during most of the return movement of the buck for energizing said latter movement.

22. In a pressing head for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means for bodily moving said pressing head to uncover the buck and to return the head to pressing engagement with the buck and spring means responsive to the movement away from the buck for storing energy effective during most of the return movement of the buck for energizing said latter movement.

23. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means for mounting said pressing head for a compound movement toward and away from the buck, said movement embodying two portions angularly related each with respect to the other, and spring means to actuate said mounting means for effecting substantial pressure between the head and the buck.

24. In a pressing head for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means for mounting said pressing head for compound move- `ment toward and away from the buck and spring means energized by movement of the head away from said buck for effecting pressure between the head and buck.

' 25. In a pressing machine for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means for pivotally mounting said pressing head for movement toward and away from the buck and a single spring structure acting both to apply pressure between the head and the buck and effective to counterbalance the weight of the head when the latter is in a removed position from the buck, said spring structure being stressed more when the head is separated from the buck than when the head is in contact with the buck.

26. In a press for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head for engaging the upper surface of the buck, a supporting member for the pressing head, means located below the upper surface of the buck and co-acting with the supporting member for effecting pivotal movement of the pressing head toward and away from the buck and spring means for effecting pressure between the pressing head and the buck tensioned upon movement of the head away from the buck.

27. In a press for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means to mount the head for a compound movement towards the buck, one portion of which compound movement is a lateral movement of the head from a position away from the buck to a position over the buck and another portion of which compound movement is a short downward movement of the head forcing it against the buck to apply pressure therebetween, and spring means to store and apply forces to motivate said means to mount the head, to effectuate at least the application of substantial pressure between the head and the buck.

28. In a press for fabrics, the combination of a buck, a pressing head, means to operably mount the head for a compound arcuate movement towards the buck to apply pressure between the head and buck, one portion of which compound arcuate movement differs from its other portions through a variation in the length of the radii of the compound arc described by the head, and spring means to store and apply forces to actuate 143 said means to operably mount the head to effectuate said movement at least to the extent of the application of substantial pressure between the head and the buck.

WILLIAM M. EMERY. 15'.) 

